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HILLSBOROUGH: 


PRINTED  BY  DENNIS  HEARTT 


1841 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/constitutiontempOOhill 


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CONSTITUTION. 


WE  the  undersigned,  students  of  the  Hillsbo- 
rough Academy,  do  agree  to  form  ourselves  into  an 
association,  to  be  called  the  Polemic  Society;  the 
great  purposes  of  which  shall  be,  the  promotion  of 
useful  knowledge,  and  the  cultivation  of  eloquence 
and  friendship.  Aware  of  the  importance  of  good 
order  to  the  attainment  of  the  great  ends  proposed, 
and  indeed  to  the  very  existence  of  such  a  society, 
we  agree  to  constitute  the  following  officers,  viz.  a 

(President,  a  Supervisor,  a  Secretary,  and  a  Treasu- 
rer, each  to  be  elected  monthly. 

Section  I. 

Article  1.  In  the  absence  of  the  President,  the  Su- 
pervisor shall  take  the  chair.  In  the  absence  of  any 
other  officer,  the  President  shall  appoint  a  pro  tern. 

Art.  2.  Our  meetings  shall  be  weekly,  on  Satur- 
day morning. 

Section  II.     THE  PRESIDENT. 

Art.  1.  The  President,  at  the  hour  appointed,  shall 
take  his  seat,  and  call  the  house  to  order. 

Art.  2.  The  President  shall  check  any  unlawful 
proceedings,  and  quell  all  irregularities. 
m  Art.  3.  The  President  shall  fine  or  excuse,  at  his 
ff  discretion,  all  persons  returned  by  proper  officers  for 
Vlthe  violation  of  any  law;  and  the  person  so  fined 
^ shall  pay  to  the  Treasurer  the  sum  annexed  to  the 
Jplaw  violated. 

0, 


Art  4.  The  President  shall,  at  every  meeting,  ap- 
point two  principals,  each  of  whom  shall  choose  two 
assistants,  and  espouse  opposite  sides  of  the  question 
selected  for  discussion. 

Art.  5.  The  President  shall  have  power  to  call  a 
meeting  extraordinary,  at  which  the  members  must 
attend. 

Art.  6.  The  President  shall,  at  the  first  meeting  of 
every  session,  appoint  two  members  to  inspect  the 
books  belonging  to  the  society,  to  make  out  a  list  of 
the  same,  and  hand  it  to  the  Librarian. 

Art.  7.  The  President  shall,  at  the  commencement 
of  every  term,  appoint  four  members,  who  shall  serve 
four  weeks,  and  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  present  a 
question  to  the  Secretary  at  each  meeting,  to  be  dis- 
cussed at  the  next. 

Section  III.    SUPERVISOR. 

Art.  1.  The  Supervisor  shall  sit  on  the  right  hand 
of  the  President. 

Art.  2.  The  Supervisor  shall  strictly  observe  the 
conduct  of  the  members  during  the  meeting,  and  note 
down  all  irregularities,  and  make  his  return  at  the 
close  of  each  meeting. 

Art.  3.  If  any  member  shall  be  notoriously  immo* 
ral  in  his  conduct,  irregular  in  his  attendance  on  so- 
ciety, dissipated  in  his  habits,  or  scandalously  inat- 
tentive to  his  studies,  the  Supervisor  shall  draw  up 
articles  of  impeachment,  and  give  notice  thereof  to 
the  house,  which  articles  of  impeachment  shall  be 
delivered  to  the  Secretary;  and  he  (the  Secretary) 
shall  transmit  a  copy  of  the  same  to  the  party  im- 
peached, within  two  days  after  the  delivery  to  him 
of  such  articles.     And  he  (the  party  impeached)  shall* 
attend  at  the  next  meeting  to  answer  to  the  charge  or**5 
charges  preferred  against  him;  at  which  meeting,  im-   ■' 
mediately  after  the  proceedings  of  the  previous  meet* 


** 


iog  shall  have  been  read,  the  Secretary  shall  read  the 
articles  of  impeachment,  and  call  upon  the  party  im- 
peached to  answer  thereto.  After  the  investigation 
of  the  case,  the  house  shall  decide  whether  or  not  the 
impeachment  shall  be  sustained,  and  if  sustained, 
shall  decide  upon  his  punishment  by  ballot.  If  the 
party  impeached  be  absent,  the  proceedings  on  his 
case  shall  be  postponed  to  the  next  meeting,  and  fur- 
ther warning  given  him  by  the  Secretary;  at  which 
time,  if  he  wilfully  absent  himself,  the  house  shall 
determine  upon  the  impeachment  and  the  penalty  in 
his  absence. 

Section  IV.     THE  SECRETARY. 

Art.  1.  The  Secretary  shall  sit  on  the  left  hand  of 
the  President,  and  shall,  at  the  commencement  of  eve- 
ry meeting,  call  the  roll  and  read  the  proceedings  of 
the  previous  meeting;  and  at  the  close  of  the  meeting 
he  shall  return  the  absentees.  He  shall  also  call  the 
roll  immediately  before  the  house  is  dismissed. 

Art.  2.  The  Secretary  shall  note  down  all  the  fines, 
and  hand  the  same  to  the  Treasurer  before  the  next 
meeting. 

Section- V.     THE  TREASURER. 

Art.  1.  The  Treasurer  shall  collect  all  the  fines 
and  taxes;  and  keep  a  regular  account  of  receipts  and 
expenditures,  which  he  shall  read  to  the  house  at  the 
expiration  of  his  term. 

Section  TI. 

Art.  1.  When  any  addition  to  this  constitution  is 
proposed,  or  any  alteration  or  amendment  of  any  ar- 
ticle thereof,  it  shall  be  done  in  the  following  man- 
ner, to  wit:  A  resolution  shall  be  drawn  up  specify- 
ing such  addition,  alteration  or  amendment,  as  is  pro- 
posed; which  resolution  shall  be  handed  to  the  See- 


retary,  and  read  by  him  to  the  house.  The  resolu- 
tion shall  then  be  laid  over  until  the  next  meeting, 
(unless  the  President  deem  it  necessary  to  be  acted 
upon  immediately,)  at  which  time  the  house  shall 
decide  upon  it,  and  the  same,-  with  a  majority  of  two 
thirds  of  the  members  in  its  favor,  shall  go  into  effect. 

Art.  2.  No  person  shall  be  admitted  either  as  a 
transient  or  regular  member  of  this  society  without 
the  consent  of  two  thirds  of  the  members. 

Art.  3.  No  person,  unless  he  be  a  teacher  or  stu- 
dent of  this  academy,  shall  be  admitted  as  a  member 
of  this  society. 

Art.  4.  No  teacher  or  student  who  lives  within 
the  limits  of  the  town,  shall  be  admitted  as  an  irre- 
gular member. 


TEMPORARY  liAW 


1.  Every  member,  upon  admission,  shall  pay  one 
dollar  and  twenty-five  cents. 

2.  All  fines  and  taxes  shall  be  paid  in  one  month 
after  they  are  incurred,  and  any  member  who  refuses 
to  pay,  shall  be  reported  to  the  house  by  the  Treasu- 
rer at  the  end  of  his  term,  and  dealt  with  according 
to  the  discretion  of  the  house. 

3.  If  any  member  refuse  to  serve  when  elected  to 
an  office,  he  shall  be  fined  fifty  cents;  unless  he  shall 
have  served  in  the  same  office  the  preceding  term. 

4.  If  the  committee,  or  principals  in  debate,  re- 
fuse to  discharge  their  duty,  they  shall  be  fined  fifty 
cents. 

5.  The  officers  cannot  be  returned  or  impeached 
before  the  expiration  of  their  term  of  office.  They 
may  then  be  returned  or  impeached  by  the  Supervi- 
sor, or  any  three  members  of  the  society. 

6.  "Any  three  members  may  draw  up  and  sign  ar- 
ticles of  impeachment,  in  failure  of  the  Supervisor. 

7.  In  the  absence  of  a  principal,  the  President  shall 
appoint  a  member  to  supply  his  place. 

8.  Any  member  that  does  not  speak  in  the  ord^r 
in  which  he  is  called,  shall  pay  twenty -five  cents. 

9.  Every  member,  upon  rising  to  speak,  shall  re- 
spectfully address  the  President.  Violation  ten  cents. 

10.  Any  member  who  speaks  more  than  twice, 
without  permission  from  the  President,  shall  be  fin- 
ed twenty  cents. 

11.  If  any  member  walk  between  the  speaker  and 
the  President,  he  shall  be  fined  ten  cents. 

12.  In  electing  officers,  the  vote  shall  be  taken  by 
ballot;  in  all  other  cases,  except  where  it  is  otherwise 
specified,  by  rising  and  sitting. 


8 

13.  In  all  cases  where  votes  are  taken,  the  Secre- 
tary shall  report. 

14.  The  President  shall  vote  only  in  case  of  a  tie. 

15.  No  question  of  an  immoral  nature  shall  be  pre- 
sented.   Violation  fifty  cents. 

16.  If  any  person  use  indecent  language,  or  cast  a 
personal  reflection,  he  shall  be  fined  thirty  cents. 

17.  If  a  member  leave  the  room  without  the  Presi- 
dent's permission,  he  shall  be  fined  twenty-five  cents. 

18.  If  any  member  laugh,  or  talk,  or  whisper  dur- 
ing the  meeting,  he  shall  be  fined  ten  cents. 

19.  If  any  person  interrupt  the  speaker,  he  shall 
be  fined  twenty-five  cents. 

20.  If  any  person  sit  in  an  indecent  posture,  or  lie 
down,  or  eat,  or  sleep,  or  whittle  with  a  knife  dur- 
ing the  meeting,  he  shall  be  fined  twenty  cents. 

21.  Nothing  of  a  private  or  individual  nature,  or 
that  would  tend  to  the  derogation  of  the  society,  or 
any  member  thereof,  shall  be  divulged.  The  breach 
of  this  law  shall  be  punished  by  fine,  suspension,  or 
expulsion,  at  the  discretion  of  the  house. 

22.  No  member  shall  make  a  motion  without  ris- 
ing to  his  feet,  on  penalty  of  fifteen  cents. 

23.  Motions  made  in  order,  and  seconded,  shall  be 
pat  to  the  house,  unless  withdrawn. 

24.  No  single  fine  shall  be  less  than  ten  cents,  or 
greater  than  one  dollar. 

25.  If  any  member  change  his  seat  without  permis- 
sion from  the  President,  he  shall  be  fined  ten  cents. 

26.  When  two  or  more  members  wish  to  speak 
at  the  same  time,  the  one  who  first  addressed  the 
President  shall  claim  the  floor.  In  case  of  contest* 
the  President,  shall  decide;  and  if,  after  the  President 
has  assigned  the  floor  to  one,  any  other  should  urge 
his  claim,  or  continue  to  speak,  he  shall  be  fined 
twenty-five  cents. 

27.'  In  no  case  where  it  is  the  President's  legal 


9 

province  to  decide,  shall  any  member  object  to  his 
decision,  upon  a  penalty  of  twenty-five  cents. 

28.  When  a  member  is  admitted,  the- President 
shall  appoint  two  persons  to  conduct  him  into  the 
room;  who  shall  lead  him  before  the  Supervisor,  and 
he  (the  Supervisor)  shall  read  the  temporary  laws  of 
the  society;  after  which  he  shall  be  conducted  to  his 
seat. 

29.  For  any  indecorous  behaviour  not  specified 
in  the  laws,  the  Supervisor  shall  return  a  member, 
who  shall  be  fined  at  the  discretion  of  the  President. 

30.  It  shall  be  held  illegal  for  more  than  three  per- 
sons to  be  out  at  a  time. 

31.  Any  person  who  stays  out  longer  than  ten 
minutes,  shall  be  fined  one  cent  per  minute  for  the 
whole  time  of  his  absence. 

32^  If  any  member,  during  a  meeting  of  the  soci- 
ety, shall  break  a  pane  of  glass,  or  otherwise  injure 
the  building,  the  Treasurer  shall  have  such  damage 
repaired  out  of  the  treasury  of  the  society,  in  the 
space  of  a  fortnight  after  the  doing  of  such  damage, 
and  the  member  doing  such  damage  shall  refund  to 
the  treasury. 

33.  Five  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum,  and 
transact  business. 

34.  When  any  alteration  of  these  laws  is  propos- 
ed, the  process  shall  be  the  same  as  is  adopted  in 
regard  to  the  constitution. 

35.  Each  member  may  keep  a  copy  of  the  con- 
stitution and  laws  until  within  a  week  of  the  end  of 
each  session,  when  he  shall  return  them  to  the  Li- 
brarian. 

36.  If  any  member  absent  himself  from  the  soci- 
ety, without  rendering  an  adequate  excuse  on  his 
appearance,  he  shall  be  fined  twenty-fire  cents. 

37.  At  the  expiration  of  every  session,  four  mem- 
bers shall  be  elected  to  deliver  an  original  address. 


io 

And  one  of  each  senior  class  shall  be  elected  to  de- 
liver a  valedictory  address  on  their  last  meeting  with 
the  society. 

38.  At  every  meeting  the  President  shall  appoint 
two  members  to  read  composition,  and  two  to  de- 
claim. 

39.  Every  President  shall,  at  the  expiration  of  his 
term,  deliver  an  address  to  the  house.  Violation 
fifty  cents. 

40.  Any  member  retaining  books  borrowed  from 
the  society  beyond  the  term  of  one  month,  shall  pay 
the  sum  of  twenty-five  cents,  and  ten  cents  per  week 
for  the  retention  of  such  books  beyond  such  time. 

41.  No  person  shall  read  during  the  meeting  of 
the  society,  unless  it  be  something  on  the  subject 
under  consideration. 

42.  Any  member  of  the  senior  or  junior  class,  or 
any  others  over  fourteen  years  of  age,  may  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  society. 

43.  Each  member  shall  pay  twenty-five  cents  at 
the  commencement  of  everv  session. 

44.  No  person  except  the  Librarian  shall  open 
■the  library. 

45.  The  Librarian  shall  keep  a  list  of  the  books 
belonging  to  the  library. 

46.  Every  member  shall  be  on  terms  of  friendship 
and  friendly  intercourse  and  communion  with  every 
other  member. 

47.  Any  regular  member  of  this  society,  who  does 
not  know  the  query  for  discussion,  shall  be  fined 
twenty  cents,  unless  he  was  absent  at  the  previous 
meeting. 

48.  Irregular  members  shall  be  entitled  to  all  pri- 
vileges, except  election  to  office. 

49.  An  appeal  may  be  had  to  the  house  from  the 
decision  of  the  President,  if  a  motion  to  this  effect 
is  seconded. 


11 


THE  FOLLOWING  SHALL  BE  THE  REGU- 
LAR ORDER  OF  PROCESS. 

1.  The  President  opens  the  meeting  by  taking  his 
seat  and  calling  the  house  to  order. 

2.  The  Secretary  calls  the  roll,  and  reads  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  previous  meeting. 

3.  Regular  motions,  admission  of  members,  &c. 

4.  Composition  and  declamation. 

5.  Question  discussed  and  votes  taken. 

6.  Question  for  the  next  meeting  read,  and  the 
principals  appointed. 

7.  Two  members  appointed  to  read  composition, 
and  two  to  declaim,  at  the  next  meeting. 

8.  Officers  elected;  President,  Supervisor,  Secre- 
tary and  Treasurer,  monthly. 

9.  Query  committee  appointed,  for  four  weeks. 

10.  Treasurer's  and  Librarian's  returns,  monthly. 

11.  The  last  President  delivers  his  address. 

12.  The  new  officers  take  their  seats. 

13.  A  Librarian  appointed. 

14.  Irregular  motions. 

15.  Supervisor's  returns. 

16.  Secretary's  returns. 

17.  Roll  called.     House  dismissed  by  the  Presi- 
dent. 


i 


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